New City, But Same Game For Official

June 30, 1985|By Dean Chang, Staff Writer

Leonard Matarese always had his own way of getting things done.

When he was city manager of Coconut Creek, Matarese alienated many while radically revamping the city to his specifications. His tactics were described as abrasive and pushy, but by the end of Matarese`s tenure, even his critics agreed he accomplished what he set out to do.

Things haven`t changed much for Matarese. As the business administrator for Orange, N.J., he still makes life miserable for those who stand in his way.

Matarese, who took the position last September, quickly proposed enormous changes in a city anchored in its tradition. He initially encountered fierce opposition, but many of the critics have been silenced over time.

``Most politicians go through a honeymoon period during their first few months, where they can do nothing wrong,`` said Bob Heck, editor of the Orange Transcript. ``Matarese did things backward. At first, his actions generated a lot of response. Things have calmed down now, although I`m sure there are people who still dislike him.``

Matarese has never worried about what people think about him.

``There`s no way you can make changes that are necessary without rankling people,`` Matarese said from his New Jersey office. ``We had to take stern, hard measures to achieve our goals. This city had problems very few city managers would want to take on. We needed to take an aggressive, action- oriented approach to the community.

``There was some resistance at first, but there has been an increasing willingness to accept changes. People can see that it works after giving it a while.``

Matarese said he brought Orange into the modern age, buying the city`s first computer system. He also instituted a central purchasing system and will put $3 million into a capital improvement program that only received $5,000 last year, according to Matarese.

But Matarese also has taken some unpopular stands.

He sought to lay off 100 city employees, a recommendation that went unheeded. He also is challenging the city employee union contracts, bringing him under attack from several areas, especially the Police Department.

Jim Cullen, president of the Police Benevolent Association in Orange, called Matarese an ``overpaid, overpriced hatchet man paid by Mayor (Paul) Monacelli. He has a complete disregard for people`s emotions and feelings. He has stepped on people who`ve been here for 40 years. You don`t do that to people.

``With the mayor and Matarese, the morale of the police force is at its worst in the 17 years I`ve been here. I`ve got 200 employees backing me up on this. Mr. Matarese will pass -- it`s just how much damage he can do before he leaves.``

Cullen charged that Matarese had a car accident and failed to report it, continues to drive without a New Jersey driver`s license and was caught going through police files in the records bureau.

``He feels he`s above the law,`` Cullen said. ``Who is this guy? Is he God? If I did the things he gets away with, I`d end up in jail or out of a job.``

Matarese said Cullen`s charges were ``nonsense.``

``That`s classically New Jersey,`` said Matarese. ``Character assassination is the standard operating procedure here, instead of dealing with the issues. Even if it were true, what does it have to do with the issues?``

According to Orange City Council President Nick Varanelli, the council hasn`t enjoyed his abrasiveness.

``There`s no question about his capabilities,`` said Varanelli, ``but he doesn`t do things in the right manner.